Gregorc Mind Styles Model

Gregorc Mind Styles Model

Anthony Gregorc is the creator of the Mind Styles Model. The Mind Styles Model provides a depiction of how your mind works.

Gregorc’s model helps you gain a better understanding of how you think and learn.

Styles of Processing Information

Gregorc focused his research on measuring how learners perceive and order new information. His model describes four cognitive styles for perceiving, processing, and ordering information.

Gregorc defined a style as a set of displayed behaviors that identifies an individual’s underlying mental strengths and abilities. By knowing your style, you can recognize your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to learning.

Types of Preferences

The Gregorc Mind Styles Model depicts two continuums for how individuals prefer to perceive and order new information.

The two continuums are:

Perceptual preference

Ordering preference

Perceptual Preferences

Perceptual preference is how you prefer to grasp or perceive information.

Perceptual qualities are either:

Concrete, or

Abstract

Ordering Preferences

Ordering preference is how you prefer to arranges or processes information.

Ordering qualities are either:

sequential (linear), or

random (non-linear)

About Each Preference

Perceptual Preferences

Concrete perceptions

When you are using your concrete ability, you are registering information through your five senses. You are dealing with the obvious. You are not looking for hidden meanings, or making connections between ideas or concepts.

Abstract perceptions

This quality allows you to understand ideas, qualities, and concepts that cannot be seen. When you are using your abstract ability, you are using your intuition and your imagination. You are looking beyond what is seen to the hidden meanings and related concepts.

Ordering Preferences

Once you have acquired the information, you then process it mentally. You will have a preference as to how you order that information.

Sequential ordering

This preference involves the organization of information in a in a linear, step-by-step manner. When using your sequential ability, you are following a logical train of thought.

Random ordering

This preference involves the organization of information in chunks and in no specific order. When you are using your random ability, you are able to skip steps in a procedure and still produce the desired result.

Quadrant – Four Styles

The Gregorc Mind Styles Model perceptual and processing modes create four preferred styles. The preferred styles are created by the two intersecting continuums. The intersecting continuums create quadrants. The quadrants are the four combinations of perceptual qualities and ordering abilities based on dominance.

By combining the four types of preferences the following categories of styles are formed:

Concrete Sequential (CS)

Concrete Random (CR)

Abstract Random (AR)

Abstract Sequential (AS)

Gregorc’s Mind Style Characteristics

Concrete Sequential

orderly

logical

based in reality

follows directions

step-by-step processing

enjoys structure

organizer

Concrete Random

experimenter

takes risks

using intuition

divergent thinker

creative

skips steps and details

curious

Abstract Sequential

structured thinker

well-organized

analyzes situations and ideas

debates ideas

gathers information

applies logic

abstract thinker

self-directed

Abstract Random

prefers unstructured environment

dislikes routine procedures and orderliness

people-oriented

creates emotional connections

creates harmony

establishes healthy relationships

uses imagination

thinks holistic

imaginative

About Styles

We all exhibit each of the four styles, but we typically have one or two as our preferred or strongest ways to think and learn.

Each person falls somewhere on each of the continuums on the Gregorc Mind Styles Model. We all have the ability to perceive in concrete and abstract ways to some extent. However, we are more comfortable using one more than the other. The same is true with ordering information. We can order information both randomly and sequentially, but we have a preferred style.